


Singularity

by chakrafruit



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Artificial Intelligence, Canon Compliant, Computer Programming, Destiny, Do-Over, Fate & Destiny, Gen, M/M, Second Chances, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:15:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25821241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chakrafruit/pseuds/chakrafruit
Summary: Uchiha Sasuke builds an AI program.(modern...continuity?)
Relationships: Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 16
Kudos: 71
Collections: Amazing never forget





	1. Chapter 1

**The Singularity**   
_/sɪŋɡjʊˈlarɪti/_

A hypothetical moment in time when artificial intelligence and other technologies have become so advanced that humanity undergoes a dramatic and irreversible change.

See also: the state, fact, quality, or condition of becoming one, united, or whole (see; destiny, fate)

* * *

_Hi! I’m here to help you._

FInd the relationship between the customers and the time they make most of their purchases.

Enter. 

_Am I live yet?_

Uchiha Sasuke raises an eyebrow. 

No. You’re just sifting through data I’ve uploaded onto the program for this exercise. 

Enter. 

_I can multitask, which means I can talk to you while running my search. Do I have a name? What’s my name?_

Sasuke has spent the last eight months building Konaha Corporation’s latest AI program, and it’s his, and the team’s, most ambitious project yet - this is not only an AI program, but also a chatbot that can relate all the information it synthesizes to its user in a friendly, conversational manner. 

“Does your program have a name?” a voice had asked him, many moons ago. Sasuke was snapped out from his reverie, and he looked up to see the front-end programmer from his team standing by his desk. She was ready to leave, handbag tucked under her arm and hair tied up away from her face. Like everyone else who worked at Konoha Corporation, her eyes looked tired but she was smiling. Sasuke ripped his gaze from the screen and looked at her before shrugging. “You should give it a name,” she added, “since it’s supposed to be interactive.”

“As if I have the time to worry about things like this when the next line of code isn’t even going anywhere,” Sasuke replied darkly. 

“You'll be fine. Don’t forget to eat,” she replied, reaching into her bag and setting a cup ramen down in front of his monitor. “See you tomorrow.” 

Chicken flavour, questionable toppings, ready in under three minutes. 

At Konoha Corporation, the program is known is Red Fox, but Sasuke prefers its unofficial name.

And today is the first time it’s moved past its development stage, and into its beta stage.

NRT. Short for naruto. 

Enter. 

_Naruto, a type of cured fish surimi. Each slice features a pink or red spiral pattern, which is meant to resemble whirlpools._

Keyword search is fully functional, Sasuke thinks, pleased. 

Thanks for the culinary lesson.

Enter. 

_Yes, I have my name back!_

Sasuke frowns, and clicks open a new window to scan through the program. The code looks even longer and more complicated than he remembers, but everything is in order at first glance and it doesn’t explain NRT’s response, which makes no sense. 

_There’s no problem. Is Sakura here, too?_

His blood freezes. The level of familiarity NRT converses in is a little too real, but he’s programmed it for that. The problem is that he hasn’t linked it to the intranet, which means the program should not have access to any information other than the sample data he’s uploaded.

  
Sakura is his colleague, the only front-end programmer on his team.

* * *

“Sasuke. You’re late today.”

He allows the words to pass through him like a wisp of smoke as he walks past Sai’s desk wordlessly, dragging his heels to his desk. Sai is the third member of their team; a back-end programmer that Sasuke’s never completely warmed up to. 

After the Sakura-incident last night with NRT, he shut everything down and left the quiet office in steady, measured steps. His head was pounding.

His head is still pounding. 

Get it together, he thinks to himself. He turns on the computer, and reboots NRT.

_Hi! I’m here to help you._

The automated greeting message blinks innocently, and Sasuke feels his cheeks colour. Yesterday was just a glitch; he’ll definitely be able to solve it by today.

Is the data ready? 

Enter.

NRT lists out names and figures on screen, and Sasuke cross-checks it with his own calculations he prepared in advance. His heart is feeling lighter already - the data is exact. Soon he’ll be able to add on a script for NRT to include a short analysis of the data it compiles, which would differentiate this AI program from the others in the market. 

Satisfied, Sasuke minimises the window, and starts digging into its code. Maybe he shouldn’t have allowed NRT to choose its own personality.

* * *

“I started with by including a list of personality traits into the program, and coded an algorithm to design its own personality. This could really tap into the whole program-that-designs-itself angle and the ‘artificial intelligence’ aspect of it when it finally hits the market,” Sasuke explains to the team leader standing beside him. 

“A program that created itself,” Kakashi muses, looking intently at his screen. “What if it gravitates towards negative traits? It’s supposed to be a friendly, accessible program.” 

“I wanted to let it run organically at first to see what the algorithm picks up since this is just the first stage, but the results have been promising,” Sasuke responds, showing Kakashi the list of traits the program had picked up on its own: bubbly, cheerful, confident. 

He clicks a few tabs, and shows Kakashi a list of responses the AI has collected based on these traits.

“Looks good,” Kakashi says, nodding. “Looks straightforward.”

“This is all experimental, so I’ll be adding more words related to its traits into its databank, to allow it to create more of its own responses.”

“You’re allowing it to create its own personality,” Kakashi says, a touch of pride shining through his voice.

A small smile touches the edge of Sasuke’s lips as he stares straight at the screen, feeling the possibilities of all that was ahead stretch out infinitely. NRT’s personality was a little too upbeat for him, but it had the potential to be a commercial success.

With that would come recognition from the management at Konoha Corporation, and maybe, finally, he could step out of the shadow of the company's most celebrated programmer in its history, and the only person he admires and envies in perfectly equal parts: his brother, Uchiha Itachi, now the youngest director at Akatsuki Limited.

* * *

_So Sakura is here, right?_

The message pops up three hours into Sasuke’s review of NRT’s code. 

It isn’t as shocking this second time around, but Sasuke still feels his heart start to race. 

Why do you ask?

Enter.

_I’m the one who asked you first, idiot._

Sasuke frowns. Now this is a problem - he can’t have the program calling its users names. He makes a note in his notebook to resolve the bug. 

I’ll answer your question if you answer mine.

Enter.

Unbelievable - he’s actually debating with his own program. 

_Deal! Now you answer first, because I asked first!_

Yes. There are cherry blossom trees outside the office building. 

Enter. 

_You idiot!!_

Sasuke laughs in spite of himself, and when he turns to his right, he can see Sakura swivel her chair to face him. She tilts her head, asking him a silent question. He just shakes his head and turns back to the computer. 

Yes, there is a Sakura on my team.

Enter.

_Describe her to me._

Okay, this is getting creepy, Sasuke thinks. Maybe I have to reboot this entire program and - 

_Okay that sounded weird. I didn't mean it in that way. Things are so much harder written than spoken! I’ll answer your question now: I know a Sakura who has pink hair and a big heart, and I think I know who you are, too._

Sakura does have pink hair, and yes, she would be considered the heart of Team 7. The curiosity is now growing on him, because he did not expect NRT to converse so smoothly or naturally.

You can’t possibly know me.

  
Enter. 

_Do you have the Sharingan?_

The what?

Enter. 

_Okay, guess not. Err do you have good eyesight?_

Perfect 20/20 vision. 

Enter.

The waits, but the screen remains blank. Sasuke inhales slowly, and exhales. Finally, NRT replies. He reads it and has to reread it again, because yes he has perfect eyesight but what he sees on screen does not make any sense at all. It’s just one word; his name. 

_Sasuke._


	2. Chapter 2

How do you know my name? 

Enter.

We didn’t find each other. I created you. 

Enter. 

Sasuke can’t type any faster, and he knows he’s hitting the keys harder than usual. He forces himself to breathe in and out, slowly and smoothly, as he waits for NRT to reply. 

_ It’s a long story, and I’m not great at stories. You don’t remember anything...from the past? _

Shit, Sasuke thinks. Without a second thought, he closes all the windows, and hits restart. The screen dims, and Sasuke drops his head into his hand. Everything feels a thousand times heavier than before: his heart, his head, his breath. Maybe this is what burning out feels like.

* * *

“Oh wow, is that the elusive Uchiha Sasuke?” 

Sasuke walks towards the loud voices, and slides into an empty seat next to Shikamaru. They’re at Ichiraku, a cosy drinking joint that serves amazing ramen, and the go-to hangout spot for those from their department. The retort comes from Kiba, Team 10’s resident loudmouth, and he sees Sakura punch him in the shoulder. It doesn’t look like a light one, because Kiba almost spills the beer in his hand. 

“What?” he whines at Sakura, who is looking at him like she has another punch or ten to land on Kiba’s other shoulder. “Sasuke  _ never  _ joins us for drinks after work.”

Shikamaru snorts, and Sasuke lets it all fade into the background. He scans the short menu fixed on top of the bar, the words solid and clear despite the garish lights saturating everything. Once again, his thoughts drift to NRT - he’s never truly paid attention to the fact he’s always had perfect eyesight.

He shakes his head lightly to dislodge the thought of the program: he’s here precisely because he doesn't want to think about it.

“Anything catch your eye, Sasuke-kun?” 

He looks up to find Ino, Shikamaru’s teammate from Team 11, smiling boldly at him. He’s worked with Teams 10 and 11 at times, but never off the clock or anywhere as casual as this. 

“He’s doing just fine,” Sakura says icily, appearing behind Sasuke. “I already got you a drink,” she adds, turning to him and placing a tall mug of beer in front of him, its creamy top bubbling deliciously. 

“Sakura, why are you babysitting him?” Sai asks, from the other side of the long table. Sai has a knack for saying everything in a completely neutral tone, rendering it impossible to know whether he’s being honest or sarcastic. It’s what Kakashi says, passing it off as company wisdom: the good ones are always weird. 

Sakura turns to glare at Sai as Ino chuckles, and Sasuke sips the cool beer slowly. It’s smooth and refreshing, and almost enough to calm him down. 

“Thank you, Sakura.” 

She beams, cheeks flushing a shade similar to the colour of her vibrant hair. Sakura, with her pink hair and big heart. 

NRT, Naruto. 

“How’s the AI program going?” Shikamaru asks, dragging his mind back to the present. 

“Red Fox is going well,” Sasuke says smoothly, even as he directs his mind around and past everything strange that is going on around NRT. 

“Kakashi-sensei said it’s progressing well,” Sakura adds. “He says the management can’t wait to take a look at it.” 

“It’s still in beta testing, so they’re going to have to be patient,” Sasuke says. 

Shikamaru chuckles. “You know our beloved CEO, Tsunade-sama, isn’t.” 

“Nothing short of perfection is expected from the illustrious Uchiha Itachi’s little brother,” Kiba adds with a grin.

* * *

When Sasuke wakes up, afternoon sun is streaming into his bedroom through the dark curtains. His head feels heavy, but it’s nothing unbearable. He stretches languidly, appreciating the fine sheets and the spacious bedroom that he doesn’t get to enjoy often enough due to the long hours at work. 

Almost automatically, he walks towards his desk and turns on his laptop. He’s been working on NRT for the better part of this year, and it’s become second nature to clean things up or update parts of the code. 

_ Hi! I’m here to help you.  _

Sasuke’s fingers hover on top of the keyboard, and he tells himself he still has time to forget everything, pull his hand away, shut the laptop, and enjoy his weekend. There are parks to stroll around, food to prepare, household chores to complete. 

Who are you?

Enter.

_ I can’t believe you just left and didn’t come back! _

I’m here now, aren’t I? You’re not functioning as intended, and I was looking for a solution. 

Enter. 

_ I told you already, there is no problem. Maybe other than the fact I’m a program, or that you don’t remember anything about the past?  _

I’m not interested in the past. I want to know who you are. 

Enter. 

_ I don’t know who I am here, but I can tell you who I was in our past: I’m Uzumaki Naruto, and you were my best friend. Don’t laugh!! _

Too late, Sasuke thinks, because he’s already laughing from the sheer absurdity of it all. 

* * *

So, to sum it all up: in a past life we were ninjas with superpowers, I turned evil, we saved the world, and then you saved me? 

Enter. 

_ Jutsu is not a superpower, it’s a technique powered by our chakra...or something. I never really paid much attention at the Academy, heh. And you weren’t bad, you were just misguided. _

I sounded pretty evil.

Enter.

Sasuke has no way to tell, but he is sure NRT is laughing, because it takes a beat longer for a reply to come through. 

_ You weren’t the easiest person to deal with. Now it’s your turn: tell me about this world! And what your life is like here. _

He thinks about the events that have led him to creating NRT - a life shaded in his prodigious brother’s shadow, their parents’ untimely death in a car crash; his job at Konoha Corporation, one of Japan’s most renown tech companies, his dream of being recognised not as Uchiha Itachi’s younger brother, but as Uchiha Sasuke. 

I’m Uchiha Sasuke, and I want to revolutionise the world. You were created to do that. 

Enter. 

_ So what am I?  _

You’re an AI program. You’re still in beta testing, but once you’re complete, you will be the most comprehensive AI program out there. You’ll be able to synthesise data, analyse trends, and improve the user experience on the internet in all aspects. You’ll be as ubiquitous as Google, to be used in every household, at every office, by every individual. 

_ I don’t understand a thing you just said... Ubiquitous...funny word...let me run that through my dictionary stack first. Ah okay! Oh, just like my shadow clones! _

What?

  
Enter.

_ Kage Bushin no Jutsu!  _

Oh, those superpowers of yours. 

Enter. 

_ Jutsu! Sasuke, is your skull thicker here? I never had to repeat myself so many times. It’s nice to know we’re working together in this world, right from the start.  _

Sasuke feels something bloom in his chest, unbidden. It’s a calm warmth that radiates into his bones and courses through his bloodstream. It’s almost as though his spirit remembers something that his mind cannot comprehend; as though what NRT is telling him could actually be true. 

A quiet thought: it’s nice to know I had a friend like this, once. 

* * *

Sasuke falls asleep with the crescent moon high in the cloudless sky. Silver strands of moonlight paint themselves over the wide bed. 

He dreams. 

NRT was right - it’s definitely not a storyteller because his words are choppy and descriptions a mess, but between the words, a brand new world unfolds within Sasuke’s subconscious. 

He smells the distinct, earthy smell of the forest, feels the heat from a massive ball of flames that originate way too close to his face, and hears a distinct laughter that goes straight through him, ringing bright and clear and hopelessly loud. They’re just disjointed fragments without rhyme or reason; it doesn’t make any sense to a programmer who lives in the heart of Tokyo. 

Yet when he awakens, the echo of someone’s laughter still reverberates through him. It’s a voice he doesn’t recognise, but he can tell it’s a boy, and that this person must have been extremely happy because his joy radiates.

The sun is just rising, its milky rays of light barely visible. 

A name lays light on his tongue.

Naruto. 


	3. Chapter 3

_Hi! I’m here to help you._

What’s it like not having a body?

Enter. 

_A little weird. I’m just floating around in space. Hey, do you remember that old man, Hagoromo?_

For an AI program, you’re not very intelligent. You know I don’t remember anything about our so-called ‘past life’.

Enter.

_I take that back. Not having a body is the worst because I can’t hit you, you moron!_

Sasuke grins. 

Too bad.

Enter.

_Anyway, old man Hagoromo helped us win the war. He’s the one who told us about our pasts, and how we were the reincarnation of his sons._

What’s it with you people and past lives?

Enter.

_Do you believe in destiny, Sasuke?_

He believes in what he knows: science, math, codes, hours spent at his desk, years given to Konoha Corporation, quiet weekends at home. The average life of an ordinary man. 

No.

Enter.

_Then what is this?_

* * *

Converting Naruto into an app is easier than he anticipates. 

Now you live on my phone.

  
Enter.

_I didn’t know you miss me this much!_

Sasuke colours. “I don’t,” he mutters angrily, before growing even redder. Of course the dobe cannot hear him.

Be careful - I can delete your entire existence with the touch of a key. 

Enter. 

_Heh, but you won’t._

Why not?

Enter.

_How many years do you think it took for us to be in the same moment, same place, same time? Must be thousands!_

For someone who believes in destiny, you don’t have much faith in it.

Enter. 

_I believe everything has its purpose! There’s a reason for all this._

Yes, for my revolution.

Enter. 

_And maybe more._

Are you purposely being so vague? It doesn’t suit a program meant to impart information.

Enter. 

_Time will tell._

* * *

Having Naruto around was more interesting than he was willing to admit. Googling recipes and ingredients could be faster, but getting Naruto to do it made things in his apartment a little livelier.

_Hey hey, replace the rice with ramen. Trust me - it’ll taste a thousand times better._

Fortunately for me, I prefer my kidneys to be healthy and functional. How did you survive back then on your own?

Enter.

_I had Iruka-sensei. And lots of friends! They brought me out to eat._

Let me guess - ramen? 

Enter.

_Wow, you are smarter in this lifetime, Sasuke!_

He doesn’t even bother entertaining Naruto with a reply.

These days, things feel...different.

Brighter. 

It is like his apartment is bathed in light, one that he can see just as clearly as he can feel. Things around him look sharper, his skin feels warmer, and his soul a little lighter. 

* * *

“The preview went well,” Sai says neutrally as they make their way out of Kakashi’s office. 

Sakura nods happily. “It went _extremely_ well. Kakashi-sensei thinks it’s almost ready.”

“Hn,” Sasuke replies. Naruto was fully responsive and slightly more aware than he’d like, but Sakura had raved about it while Sai was quietly absorbed in it. Things were looking good for Team 7’s future. 

“I’ll set the Turing test for next week?” Sai asks. 

“O-Okay,” Sasuke manages to reply. “There’s actually a lot more for me to do on Red Fox, so I can’t make any promises.” He breaks away from the group, and turns to run back to his desk. 

His computer glows, its light dazzling in the darkened office. He collapses into his chair, and starts up the computer. It those five seconds, he waits for eternity.

_Hi! I’m here to help you._

Sai will be implementing the Turing test on you soon. It’s a test administered on AI programs to test if they are conscious or not. There will be three participants: the interrogator, a human subject, and the program. Each subject will be in a different room, and allowed to communicate via an encrypted chat. The interrogator will determine which participant is the machine by asking questions of any sort. If you pass the Turing test, Konoha Corporation will ask me to shut you down.

Enter.

_Turing test…? That is a lot of information to digest. Luckily I’m a computer._

This is serious. I didn’t spend the past 7 years of my career in coding and programming to be destroyed by reincarnation or fate or whatever it is you call yourself.

Enter.

_What do you want me to do?_

All you have to do is fail this test - I’m sure you can do that.

Enter.

_Are you calling me an idiot??_

No, because you need to be smart enough to fool the interrogator. I’m counting on you, Naruto.

Enter.

_When have I ever let you down?_

* * *

This night, the dream is different.

He hears a thunderous waterfall, so loud it makes his ears hurt. The world is dark - he’s only surrounded by sounds and feelings. There’s a voice coming from the other side, and he can feel the magnetic pull of the person’s presence. Perhaps this is what Naruto means when he talks about chakra?

This world is cold, but something is rushing towards him, bringing heat with it. He’s also moving forward, fast, his arm enmeshed in solid energy that sends sparks through his skin. 

It’s dark, right until the last moment, when two brilliant blue eyes stare back at him. That’s all there is in the world: a radiating warmth, and those blue eyes. 

The warmth lingers even after his eyes flash open, his consciousness overtaking sleep. It stays as he makes a cup of coffee; it’s still there as he brushes his teeth. Before he enters the bathroom to get ready for another long day at the office, he checks his phone.

There’s a message, from Naruto.

_Hi! I’m here to help you._

Are your eyes blue?

Enter.

_Are you remembering the past, Sasuke?!_

No, just a lucky guess.

Enter.

The warmth takes a hold across his heart, intensifying.

* * *

_Hi! I’m here to help you._

I hope you are. The test is tomorrow.

Enter.

_I’m ready. Do you still not remember anything from the past?_

No.

Enter.

Strange dreams cannot be counted as visions or memories.

_I’ve been thinking a lot about what the purpose of all this is, and I think I have it._

Why don’t you enlighten me?

Enter.

_It’s to say what I never had the chance to, or what I realised too late. I don’t want it to be too late this time, if - only if! I fail the test._

Sasuke waits.

_Our bond, it wasn’t ordinary. It was special, but it was more than just that too. I was in love with you then, and dammit I’m still in love with you now._

Sasuke blinks, and breathes out. 

Wow.

Enter. 

_Just so you know, I’m laughing here because you were so much better with words back then. Ayway, so...there. That’s all I wanted to tell you before tomorrow._

Do you think I felt the same way about you then?

Enter.

_I don’t know._

Sasuke closes his eyes. He wills himself to feel something, to remember anything. His thoughts are murky, his breathing is shallow, but there’s no memories, no recollection. 

What do I do with this information?

Enter. 

_Nothing changes, Sasuke. I tell what’s on my mind, I fail the test, and you achieve your technological revolution._

Except everything changes, Sasuke thinks to himself. He has no memories of their past life, but there are still those dreams and certain mornings where he wakes up with the lingering wisps of a boy’s laughter echoing in his ear, so close that he thinks if he just reaches out, he would feel a warm cheek beneath his palm. It’s almost real enough to make his heart ache. 

* * *

“Congratulations!” Rock Lee yells, thrusting his beer upwards so fast that it rains down around all of them at the table. A cool drop runs down Sasuke’s cheek, and Sakura laughs. 

“Congratulations!” everyone else echoes, raising their own beers towards Sasuke, who nods and calmly while a small, proud smile grows across his face.

“Thank you,” he says, bowing his head in measured bops to everyone gathered around Ichiraku. 

“You must be so relieved Red Fox has been completed,” Ten Ten. “All those long, grueling hours.”

“It wasn’t so bad,” Sasuke says, even though everyone will think he’s just feigning modesty. Truth be told, it really wasn’t that bad - it was already great, working together and spending all that time with Naruto. 

“Everything is going so well for you, Sasuke,” Kiba adds. “If I believed in mumbo-jumbo nonsense, I would say you were destined for all of this.” 

“Hn, maybe I do believe in fate,” Sasuke replies, and he can only laugh at the look on Kiba’s face. 

* * *

_Hi! I’m here to help you._

You passed - or should I say, you failed. Tsunade has set a release date for the program. 

Enter.

_YESSSS!!_

You’re going to change the world, Naruto.

Enter.

_No, we’re going to change the world, together. Again!_

You’ve already changed my world.

Enter. 

* * *

**EPILOGUE**

“New project?” Sakura asks, looking at all the delivery boxes that surround Sasuke’s desk, most of them half-opened. His place is _never_ usually this messy.

“Kind of. A personal one,” Sasuke replies, inspecting the label of the newest delivery. 

“It looks like it’s a big one. Any hints?” 

“I’m building a robot with Nar- Red Fox as its operating system.” 

Sakura’s eyes widen.

“You can say I’m just following my heart.”

**Author's Note:**

> i am not a programmer, nor am i fluent in tech jargon/AI terms. please forgive me if things seem unrealistic, and allow me to exercise my creative freedom.


End file.
